(a) Field of the invention:
This invention relates to an illuminating optical system for endoscopes.
(b) Description of the prior art:
Generally, in an endoscope, an illuminating optical system using a light guide is built-in. However, there has been a defect that the light emitted from such light guide is so low in the intensity toward the periphery that the periphery of the visual field is dark.
Therefore, it has been generally practiced to arrange a concave lens 3 in front of the emitting end 2a of a light guide 2 within an endoscope tip part 1 as shown in FIG. 1. However, in this formation, the illuminating light amount on the periphery increases but can not be said to be sufficient and the periphery of the visual field is still dark. Further, there has been a defect that, in case the concave lens 3 is made the refractive power stronger to increase the peripheral light amount, as shown in FIG. 2, a part of the light emitted from the peripheral part of the exit end 2a of the light guide 2 will be all reflected by the exit surface of the concave lens 3 as shown by the arrow A and therefore the loss of the illuminating light amount on the periphery will be large.